OUR VIEW: Clearing obstacles to adoption of foster children

Published: Sunday, May 12, 2013 at 6:01 a.m.

Last Modified: Friday, May 10, 2013 at 5:58 p.m.

More than 400,000 U.S. children were in foster care in 2011, according to the most recent statistics released by the Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children and Families.

More than 104,000 of those children were listed as available for adoption, with that as their case goal rather than reunification with their parents or guardians.

Nearly 50,000 were adopted, which is reason to celebrate for the “glass-half-full crowd.” It’s just hard to ignore the 54,000 or so who didn’t find new homes or families.

Previously, the process for adopting a child out of foster care in Alabama could take several years. That created the risk of a foster child up for adoption eventually getting to the age of emancipation (more than 26,000 left foster care in 2011 for that reason) and going off on his or her own without the benefit of a stable and permanent family situation.

Research cited by Child Trends shows those children face massively higher rates of homelessness and unwanted pregnancies, have few educational prospects and often wind up in jail.

The Best Interest of the Child Act passed by the Alabama Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Robert Bentley has changed that situation, we think for the better.

The time frame for a court to consider whether terminating the parental rights for a child in state custody has been shortened from 15 months to 12 months.

Once a court receives such a petition, it must have a trial within 90 days. After that, it must issue a ruling within 30 days.

That’s a really fast track for the legal system and should expedite the adoption process.

Some might wonder if that’s fair to the parents whose rights are being terminated. We don’t see that as an issue once the process reaches this point, with children whose case goal is adoption and not reunification.

They need to move forward with caring, loving and nurturing families, not get bogged down in a system that already has been creeping along. This law removes an obstacle to making that happen.

<p>More than 400,000 U.S. children were in foster care in 2011, according to the most recent statistics released by the Department of Health and Human Services' Administration for Children and Families.</p><p>More than 104,000 of those children were listed as available for adoption, with that as their case goal rather than reunification with their parents or guardians.</p><p>Nearly 50,000 were adopted, which is reason to celebrate for the “glass-half-full crowd.” It's just hard to ignore the 54,000 or so who didn't find new homes or families.</p><p>Previously, the process for adopting a child out of foster care in Alabama could take several years. That created the risk of a foster child up for adoption eventually getting to the age of emancipation (more than 26,000 left foster care in 2011 for that reason) and going off on his or her own without the benefit of a stable and permanent family situation.</p><p>Research cited by Child Trends shows those children face massively higher rates of homelessness and unwanted pregnancies, have few educational prospects and often wind up in jail.</p><p>The Best Interest of the Child Act passed by the Alabama Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Robert Bentley has changed that situation, we think for the better.</p><p>The time frame for a court to consider whether terminating the parental rights for a child in state custody has been shortened from 15 months to 12 months.</p><p>Once a court receives such a petition, it must have a trial within 90 days. After that, it must issue a ruling within 30 days.</p><p>That's a really fast track for the legal system and should expedite the adoption process.</p><p>Some might wonder if that's fair to the parents whose rights are being terminated. We don't see that as an issue once the process reaches this point, with children whose case goal is adoption and not reunification.</p><p>They need to move forward with caring, loving and nurturing families, not get bogged down in a system that already has been creeping along. This law removes an obstacle to making that happen.</p>